POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Insurance, Benefits Programs & HIV => Topic started by: Granny60 on July 31, 2010, 08:16:50 pm
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It has been very hard to see how many people in our local HIV/Aids community do not have/ cannot afford phone service. I have found this service that provides free service for SSDI, Medicaid and foodstamp recipients in some states. I am very dissapointed that we have never heard about it from any of the case managers. The minutes are limited and extra air time is not cheap, but this may provide a lifeline to someone in need. Link is here: https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/Home.aspx It is illegal for more than one person to have the service at the same address and you have to recertify every year. I understand you can transfer an existing phone number to this plan.
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This sounds like it could help out .
I know people without phone service .
Weasel
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how bad do you really need another headache. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/cell_phones/safelink_wireless.html
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most local phone service (land line) providers offer "Lifeline" or "Link-Up" programs for cheap basic service to the elderly, disabled, and low-income
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Actually, when it gets down to the nut cuttin, there is not a single cell service in the country that there is not a bitch list . There is a land line service for disabled in our area, but there is a limit on the number of minutes long distance and limit to the number of long distance calls that you can make. Everyone I know has dropped it. A few in our "group" tried it but since their family lived halfway across the country and their doctors are 120 to 150 miles away, they ran out of long distance service before the month is up. Then the phone is shut off except local and those minutes are also limited and all you have is 911. If your doctor is far away at least you can call several times per month for prescription refills and appointments with the cell service.
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Its actually not a bad deal. I had Lifelink when I had a land line. When it works, it seems to work fine as a cell service. I no longer have a land line, and the cell version only offers 60 minutes a month (with rollover) which allows little more than an emergency phone, or to schedule doctors appointments, et al.
But far better than nothing, and free. So there is that.
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I got an email this morning from a guy that got one of these and he is proud as punch. Now he can call his mom and doesn't have to bum a phone to call the doc.
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My ex (who is still a friend) has and it is his first cell phone - and he loves it. He can actually get in touch with people if he is out and about -- (i.e. getting caught in rain waiting for bus, letting people know he is on his way, etc) - He still has home phone - but having the free cell gives him ability to stay in touch when not at home. They are actually getting ready to have competition here from assurant and t-mobile.
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i was interested in applying for this free phone service but they asked for my social security number and i just don't feel comfortable in giving this private information online!!
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i was interested in applying for this free phone service but they asked for my social security number and i just don't feel comfortable in giving this private information online!!
That is absolutely your right. They also, of course, have the right to refuse you service. It is my understanding that the site is secure, and that the information is used so that a person's identity and qualifying conditions can be confirmed.
Perhaps you can do this through the mail, or over the phone if that is more comfortable for you.
As for me, if someone stole my identity, they would not get very far with my credit.
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Just get a MAGIC-JACK for 19.99 a yr. connect it to your PC's usb-port, and then, connect a phone, and it's done deal. it's not a cell-phone so, it's not portable, but still better than nothing at all, and the BAD NEWS
it will require a High-speed-internet-connection ;)
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It is my understanding that the site is secure, and that the information is used so that a person's identity and qualifying conditions can be confirmed.
yeppers. ;) one can always tell whether a site is secured or not by the "lock" icon that will appear in the address bar at a secure site.
i just don't feel comfortable in giving this private information online!!
Plus this service is a government supported service - which already knows your SS#. This sort of information is needed from you to verify your identity. That way, as an example, I couldn't get a phone in your name since I don't know the matching SS#.
to be honest, in the way JK mentioned, if you're in the right income level to get this service there not much of a reason for anybody to be wanting to hack your identity anyway. :D Poverty is an excellent deterient to identity theft. LOL
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It has worked good for some that I know that have the service. The most complaiint I have heard is when they drop the phone on concrete and break it, it takes a while to get a replacement. I haven't looked for a long time, but didn't it give you the option of putting in your medicaid number or food stamp number or something like that? If you get either, you are eligible; besides, it pisses off a lot of republicans that love to rant about the "Obama Phone" and anything that will run their blood pressure up enough to explode an aneurysm is worth a try. ;D
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Just get a MAGIC-JACK for 19.99 a yr. connect it to your PC's usb-port, and then, connect a phone, and it's done deal. it's not a cell-phone so, it's not portable, but still better than nothing at all, and the BAD NEWS
it will require a High-speed-internet-connection ;)
I had MagicJack for a year. The price was right and I already had a high speed line. But you also need a pretty fast processor, too. I was using it on a single core hyper-threaded 2.8 G machine and the calls would drop (if I could hear them at all) and there was a long delay between when I dialed the number and when the computer did. In the end, it wasn't worth it to me. It might be different if you use it on a multi-core machine.
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But you also need a pretty fast processor, too.
we still use MJ here; but it also has limitations on how much bandwidth is being eaten up by others on your network/provider. When someone streams a movie on one of the 4 networked PCs in the house, MJ (which runs on a generic little used "house" computer) connectivity suffers. Also we notice issues with delays, distortions and dropped calls from 4-10pm when the local cable provider network is having high usage. (this house computer also runs World Community Grid (http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/)'s FightAIDS@Home (http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/research/faah/overview.do)).
however it's a great alternative to use during the day when sitting on hold for hrs to SS, insurance companies, etc. by not eating up peak-hr billable cell phone mins. In our house with 2 retirees and their health issues, and me on diability recently moved into the state and calling social service agencies frequently this year, this first year of the MJ has been a good investment; but we're already debating on how useful MJ will be to us in the upcoming year.